FORT WORTH, Texas – The Vanderbilt men’s golf team had a total of four golfers named to the watch list for the 2024 Ben Hogan Award presented by PNC Bank. The joint announcement was made on Friday by the Hogan Trophy Award Foundation, the Friends of Golf (FOG), and the Golf Coaches Association of America (GCAA).
Graduate students William Moll and Matthew Riedel, senior Cole Sherwood, and junior Gordon Sargent were the four Commodores named to the Ben Hogan Award watch list. Vanderbilt was tied with North Carolina for the most selections on the watch list.
The Ben Hogan Award presented by PNC Bank annually awards the top men’s NCAA Division I, II or III, NAIA, or NJCAA college golfer based on all collegiate, amateur, and professional events over the previous 12 months.
Sargent, a two-time Ben Hogan Award finalist, is currently ranked No. 2 in the World Amateur Golf Rankings. The Birmingham, Alabama, native played in three events in the fall for the Commodores and led the team with a 68.89 stroke average. Sargent made golf history in October, as he became the first player to earn their PGA Tour Card through PGA Tour University Accelerated. The 2021 NCAA Division I individual champion represented the United States at the 49th Walker Cup and the World Amateur Team Championships in Abu Dhabi. He went a perfect 4-0-0 at the Walker Cup to help the U.S. win the event for a fourth-straight time. The All-American was also awarded the 2023 Mark H. McCormack Medal, given to the world’s top amateur player. By winning the McCormack Medal, he receives exemptions into the 2024 U.S. Open at Pinehurst Resort and The Open at Royal Troon. Additionally, Sargent was the low amateur at the 2023 U.S. Open with a 284 four-round total and he was one of seven amateurs to play in the 2023 Masters Tournament. Recently, Sargent finished seventh at the 2024 Jones Cup Invitational.
Sherwood makes his second appearance on the Hogan Award watch list, as he was also selected to the 2023 watch list. The Austin, Texas, native is currently No. 19 in the World Amateur Golf Rankings. The All-American captured the individual title at the 2023 Ben Hogan Collegiate Invitational in October. He claimed the title after winning a playoff hole against Georgia Tech’s Christo Lamprecht. Sherwood shot 3-under 67 in Round 3 to move up six spots on the player leaderboard to finish at 7-under 203 and force an extra hole. He also placed second at the St Andrews Links Collegiate with a score of 6-under 134 during two rounds of stroke play at the Home of Golf. Recently, Sherwood finished 10th at the Australian Master of the Amateurs back in January.
Moll makes his Hogan Award watch list debut. The graduate student is currently ranked fourth in the PGA Tour University rankings and he is 18th in the World Amateur Golf Rankings. The Houston, Texas, native played in all four tournaments in the fall for Vanderbilt, where he collected two top-10 finishes and held a stroke average of 70.82. In January, the All-American finished fourth at the Australian Master of the Amateurs with a score of 9-under (279).
Riedel also makes his first appearance on the Hogan Award watch list. The graduate student sits in sixth in the most recent PGA Tour University rankings, while he is 27th in the World Amateur Golf Rankings. He played in all four tournaments during the fall and held a stroke average of 69.27. He posted three top-10 finishes in the fall and carded under par in a team-best eight rounds. Riedel recently finished 11th at the 2024 Jones Cup Invitational.
An esteemed selection committee votes during each stage of the process. The selection committee is comprised of more than 30 leaders in collegiate, amateur, and professional golf.
This year’s list of 10 semifinalists, which could include individuals not on the watch list, will be unveiled Friday, April 19. That group will be pared down to three finalists on Thursday, May 2. The finalists will attend a black-tie dinner on Monday, May 20, at Colonial Country Club in Fort Worth, Texas, where the winner will be crowned.
The Ben Hogan Award presented by PNC Bank has honored the outstanding amateur collegiate golfer at Colonial Country Club since 2002. Prior to its move to Fort Worth, the original Ben Hogan Trophy, which was awarded based on a different list of criteria, was issued at Bel-Air Country Club in Los Angeles beginning in 1990.
Recipients of the Ben Hogan Award presented by PNC Bank have combined to accumulate 85 worldwide victories, including 64 PGA TOUR wins, and have amassed more than $395 million in prize money on the PGA TOUR. Additionally, the group has appeared in 17 Ryder Cups and a dozen Presidents Cups.
The Vanderbilt men’s golf team gets the 2024 spring season under Feb. 19-21, as the Commodores head to Panama City Beach, Florida, to defend their team title at the Watersound Invitational. Check back with VUCommodores.com for a full tournament preview.
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